The Work Foundation is the leading think tank for improving work in the UK. We have been an authoritative, independent source of ideas and analysis on the labour market and the wider economy for over a hundred years.
Yesterday it was announced that Deliveroo has signed a historic recognition deal with GMB Union, covering the company’s 90,000 food delivery riders. While formal union recognition at Deliveroo is a positive signal, it remains to be seen how significant this will be and whether riders will see more rights and protections.
Work Foundation analysis reveals the Queen's speech was a missed opportunity to commit to providing additional support to millions of working families through the immediate cost of living crisis, as well as proposals to deliver higher quality, better paid and more secure jobs to level-up the UK over the longer term.
The latest labour market data show that for the first time, the number of job vacancies is greater than the number of people looking for work. Alongside this, many workers are seeing the real value of their wages fall, as inflation soars. Our latest in-depth blog unpacks this complex picture and sets out the steps Government can take to help workers, households and employers over the months ahead.
The Covid-19 pandemic prompted a surge in demand for courier and food delivery services in the UK. However, gig work is highly financially insecure. Recent research from Lancaster University highlights how unpaid waiting time plays a significant role in lowering average earnings for bike couriers and suggests new avenues to shift power to couriers.
Family businesses employ 14 million people in the UK, accounting for roughly half of all private sector employment. And given how they are constituted and the longevity that many have enjoyed, they may also have lessons to teach us about how to be resilient to changes in the labour market and the economy more widely.
The global cost of living crisis that we are now experiencing is not going to go away anytime soon, particularly as the Russian invasion of Ukraine creates further global uncertainty over oil supply, pushing up already steep prices. With Government and workers in the UK facing tough choices, the Work Foundation has looked at how other Governments are tackling the crisis.
The Chancellor today himself set his goal as being to “protect the economic security” of people across the country. However our initial analysis reveals that the Spring Statement is unlikely to support those who need it most as inflation continues to soar.
Labour market statistics show a slight uptick in employment figures and unemployment has fallen to pre-pandemic levels, there is concern over the continuing downward trend in labour market participation among over-50s.
Government has proposed reforms to flexible working regulations, but to support wider access to flexible working, barriers to take-up should be addressed.
Journalist @DuncanWeldon speaking on the #CostOfLivingCrisis at our #WorkMatters event. "People often say you can't solve the problem by throwing money at it. This is a problem you can solve by throwing money at it. Give these people money to pay their fuel bills and do it now". https://t.co/co1DyiscTn
Speaking at our #WorkMatters event, @shavtaj of @walestuc said that although unemployment in #Wales is relatively low at 3% it masks wider issues of structural inequality facing certain individuals & communities, and that real earnings are falling during the #CostOfLivingCrisis. https://t.co/D8fKjISYTo
Yesterday at our #WorkMatters event, @ce_pickles of @reformthinktank called on the Government to be "much smarter" on supporting "the just about managing group, who really aren't managing now" during the #CostOfLivingCrisis. https://t.co/Zhm7N0w2LM
At our #WorkMatters event today, economist @DuncanWeldon reviewed the state of the UK labour market: "This is an incredibly confusing labour market that Britain's got at the moment. The oddest labour market I can remember." https://t.co/8HL83DpQ9g
